The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health today voted in
favour of a Commission proposal modifying the measures adopted last week due to
the classical swine fever which have occurred in the last forty days in
North-Rhine Westphalia, in Germany (see
IP/06/459). Under the Decision agreed today and which will enter into
force next week, pigs may be transported from farms located in the surveillance
zones established around the outbreaks of disease to other holdings located in
the said zones. This would prevent animal welfare problems in the farms, from
which movement of pigs was completely ban over the last weeks, and which is
causing overcrowding in the farms. Before being moved, pigs must however undergo
special clinical and laboratory testing, to exclude that they are incubating the
disease, and the German authorities have to report to the Committee on the
authorisation given. All other measures adopted last week in relation to
Classical swine fever in Germany remain in force until 15 May. The disease
situation and the measures adopted at Community level will be reviewed again at
the meeting of the Standing Committee of 20 April.